Friends of Inishmurray logo

Become a Member | Donate

Photo: Andreas F. Borchert.
Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Germany

Make a Donation
Become a Friend

About Inishmurray

Geology Inishmurraayy

Photo: Toby Luck

Geology

Inishmurray is a low lying island in Donegal Bay approximately 7 km from the coast of County Sligo.  The rocks, visible on the Island, form part of the Mullaghmore Sandstone Formation which dates to the Carboniferous period and are approximately 330 to 340 million years old.  Sandstone is a sedimentary rock made up of silicate grains and represents approximately one quarter of all sedimentary rocks.  The formation on Inishmurray consists mainly of fluvial sandstones which are visible along the coastline of the island.
Some areas of the island are characterized by glacial deposits which were left after Ireland’s last Ice age around 12,000 years ago.

Narrow indentations in the rock along the coast, particularly at the South Western and Western side of the island, are an interesting feature.  These are known as ‘classeys’ and give rise to various areas along the shore including Clasaí Mor (the big indent), Clasaí na Muic (the indent of the pig) and Clasaína gCloch (the indent of the stones).

Prehistory

There is some evidence of use of the island by humans prior to the foundation of the early medieval monastery circa.520 CE[1].  At Ollamurray, excavations in 2000 revealed a number of prehistoric[2] artifacts including a fragment of a flint arrowhead and pieces of worked flint and chert.  These appear to be Bronze Age in date (circa. 2500 – 500 BCE).  These fragments were passed on to University College Cork (UCC) following the excavation.

There is also evidence of two small pits which could be either structural in nature (i.e. post holes) or had been used for storage.

 

Inishmurray prehistory
There are indications of a possible bronze-age cist burial to the West of Clashymore Harbour.  In 1938 a local man – James Harte – found a burial site with collapsed slab stones that contained an ornate food vessel.  This was followed by a brief survey of the area by an academic from Queen’s University who concluded that this indeed was evidence of pre-historic human presence on the island.  Unfortunately, the whereabouts of the food vessel that was found is currently unknown.

There are also two small irregular settings of low kerbstones on the Northern side of the island which may be the remnants of barrow mounds.  More work will be needed at this site to further investigate this theory.

[1] CE – Common Era / BCE –  Before Common Era.  Relates to the years before 1 Anno Domini (AD) – the birth of Jesus Christ.

[2] The term Prehistoric refers to the period prior to the beginning of written records in Ireland – circa 400 CE and includes the Palaeolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic, Bronze Age and Iron Age.

References:

Heraughty, P., (1982) Inishmurray: Ancient Monastic Island.  Dublin: The O’Brien Press

O’Sullivan, J., Ó Carragáin, T., (2008) Inishmurray: Monks and Pilgrims in an Atlantic Landscape.  Cork: The Collins Press

Early Medieval Monastery

It is generally thought that the monastery on Inishmurray was founded by St. Molaise around 520 CE.  The monastery is considered to be one of the best preserved early medieval monasteries in Ireland and contains many associated features including three churches, three burial grounds at least four beehive cells (clochauns in Irish), several altars/cairns (leachta), two to three holy wells, cross inscribed stones, stones with basin-like depressions (bullauns) and souterrains.  Many of these lie within a stone-walled enclosure (cashel) towards the centre of the island.  Mortar samples from Templemolaise (also known as Teampall na bFear – the Men’s Church) give a radiocarbon date of 800 – 1150[1] CE.
Teach Molaise
Photo: Martin McCluskey
Women's Church Inishmurray
The Women’s Church (Teampall na mBan) is situated near the mid Southern coastline of the island and consists of a walled enclosure including a church, burial ground and cross inscribed stones.  There is a leacht – known as Crossatemple – which is situated at the South of the enclosure.  It is perilously close to the shoreline and in danger of being affected by coastal erosion as are some of the burials.  Archaeological investigations of the women’s church have revealed that it was probably built several decades after the buildings in the Cashel – circa the 1400’s.

One of the main distinquishing features of Inishmurray island is the presence of sixteen altars/cairns known as leachta.  These monuments form part of a circuit, beginning and ending in the cashel, which were an important part of a pilgrimage route.  They are usually dedicated to a saint, for example, Leachta Colmcille to the West of the women’s church (Teampall na mBan) and Leachta Patrick. 

References:

Heraughty, P., (1982) Inishmurray: Ancient Monastic Island.  Dublin: The O’Brien Press

O’Sullivan, J., Ó Carragáin, T., (2008) Inishmurray: Monks and Pilgrims in an Atlantic Landscape.  Cork: The Collins Press

[1] There is a 95.4% chance that the mortar dates to between these two time frames

Viking Raids

The first documented Viking raid on Inishmurray occurred in 795 CE, a date consistently reported across various sources as part of the initial wave of Viking attacks on Ireland. This wave also included Rathlin Island and Inishbofin. Subsequent raids on Inishmurray are recorded in 807 CE and 812 CE.
Viking raid on Inishmurray
The Annals of Ulster (AU), a crucial primary source compiled in the late 15th century from earlier records, offers a specific detail for the 807 CE raid, stating: “The heathens burned Inis Muiredaig and invade Ros Comáin” (AU 807.8). This particular entry, using the term “burned,” suggests a more destructive form of attack than the general “plundered” or “raided” descriptions of 795 CE.  To date, there has not been a detailed archaeological excavation of the monastery on Inishmurray, known as the Cashel.  Consequently, direct archaeological evidence of widespread destruction or burning within the core monastic enclosure that could definitively corroborate the annalistic mention of Inishmurray being “burned” in 807 AD is not available.

The monastic abandonment of Inishmurray by the twelfth century, while attributed primarily to Viking pressure, appears to have been a protracted and strategic retreat rather than an immediate response. The community endured for over three centuries after the initial raids, suggesting a period of adaptation and resilience before a planned relocation to the mainland at Screen in west Sligo. This long-term response, rather than instant flight, offers a more nuanced understanding of the Viking impact.

References:

museum.ie, The Viking Age in Ireland, National Museum of Ireland

celt.ucc.ie, The free digital Humanities Resource for Irish History, Literature and Politics

Teddy Bear made out of stones on Inishmurray

Settlement

It is difficult to ascertain the exact pattern of settlement on Inishmurray Island.  It is thought that the monks left the island early in the 12th century and that few, if any, lay people lived on the island whilst they were there.

In 1653 it is reported in William Petty’s Survey for Cromwell that there were three people (‘Inishmores’) living on the island.  When Gabriel Beranger visited the island in 1779 he reported five houses with 35 inhabitants.  At that time, some of the islanders indicated to him that the land had been handed down from father to son for 700 years (i.e. since circa 1100 CE) – this timeframe roughly matching when the monks left the island.  In 1801 there apparently was only one family living on the island (locally thought to be the O’Currids) – as reported by James McParlan, a medical doctor, for the Dublin Society (later the Royal Dublin Society).  That report was published in 1802.

In the early 19th C, Inishmurray Island was owned by the Hipsley and Sullivan estate but was practically deserted.  The owners sought the help of Owen Wynne of Hazelwood.  His solution was to offer Domhnall O’Heraughty (son of Tadhg) the whole of Inishmurray Island in exchange for inherited lands (albeit as a tenant) at Ballyconnell, in Northwest Sligo.  To further entice O’Heraughty, Wynne had obtained the consent of Margaret McNulty, a cook, to accompany O’Heraughty to the island as his wife.

When O’Heraughty left for Inishmurray (probably in 1802) he took with him Seán Brady who, along with his wife, was given a holding in the central eastern part of the island.  All the 20th C allotments on the island can be traced back to these two families.

The census of 1841 lists 16 houses with a population of 85 people.  Ten years later, in 1851, the famine had had an impact, with the population listed as 53. However, in 1880 the population of Inishmurray would reach a peak of 102 people living in 15 houses.

The second World War was to have a significant negative effect on the islanders.  A motorboat supply service to the island was discontinued because of fuel shortages but even more importantly, sugar – the main ingredient of poteen which the islanders were making illicitly – was rationed.  This, together with increased emigration to the United Kingdom (UK) and also the United States, was to have an impact on the population on the island.  For several years, the islanders had been campaigning for Sligo County Council to build replacement homes on the mainland and the council agreed to build several cottages at Moneygold, County Sligo.  The island was evacuated on the 12th November 1948 – 46 in total, mostly older and younger people.

Reference:

Heraughty, P., (1982) Inishmurray: Ancient Monastic Island.  Dublin: The O’Brien Press

 

 

Houses on Inishmurray
Translate »